Tragedy in a Murky Sky
by Life Strong
Summary: Everyone has a secret, even a Skylander. Glumshanks is tired of being the butler. He wants to be his own villain, and when push comes to shove, he does just that. Kaos, desperate for his old life, obtains help from the most unlikely source: the Skylanders. Rewrite of original story.
1. Prologe

Prologue

Fifeteen year old Penelope Radshaw ran down the dark alley, her heart beating against her solid gold chest. She didn't know why her life had turned out like this, but all she knew is that she wanted it to change. Soon. The red haired golding teen groaned as she reached a dead end; they were catching up to her. The trolls laughed darkly as they approached her, readying their weapons.

"You ready to spill all your precious little secrets?" A rather large troll sneered at Penelope, raising his mace above his head. She snarled at the troll; she never answered to people like him.

"Who says I have any secrets to hide?" Penelope placed her golden hands on her hips, a smirk on her golden face.

"You're uncle did when we tortured him."

"What did you do to my uncle?" Penelope snarled, reaching for the large monkey wrench strapped to her back. She swung it at the troll who had been speaking, but she missed. Another troll smirked and took it; Penelope was now defenseless.

"The same thing I'm about to do to you darling," the leader sneered as he slammed down his mace on Penelope' s leg. She screamed out, making him laugh. He was going to enjoy this.

* * *

Boomer hated being apart of the troll army. He was forced into it when he was caught by his mother saving an elderly lady from a house fire. She was so disappointed in him for showing a good natured personality that she unlisted him the next day, and his first mission had been to kill the same lady he had saved. Boomer hated that woman, and he swore to make her pay.

"Hey Boomer, got a thinking going on huh?" Sergeant, his "best friend" laughed out, slapping the young explosives loving troll on the back. Boomer secretly hated the troll, but he hated his entire species. They were too evil for his liking.

"Just planning on how I'm going to blow you up in your sleep," he sighed, knowing that if he did he would be rewarded. Boomer looked up at the rain as Sergeant laughed again.

"Always the funny guy there now Boomie. Now C'mon, they've found that Gizmo weirdo' s niece."

Boomer glared at the troll next to him, anger settling in the pit of his stomach. They had kidnapped a golding mechanic by the name of Gizmo two months prior, and Boomer felt extremely bad for the guy. He meant no harm; he just wanted to finish him machine. However, their leader, who's identity was still unclear to Boomer, was angered over the genius man's invention, and so he was captured. "Let's go then," Boomer grumbled, holding his head down. He never wanted to become like these people, but he had to wait for his chance to escape.

* * *

Penelope stared blankly at the troll as he continued to beat her. She knew that expressing pain would only fuel him, and so she sat motionless, fighting the tears from her eyes. Two more trolls walked into the alleyway, but one seemed different from the others. He was angry, but she could tell his anger wasn't directed towards her. He glared at the leader; was he angry at him?

"Ahh Boomer, so nice for you to join us," the leader smiled at the angry troll, not noticing the look of hatred on his face. The troll , who's name was apparently Boomer, stepped forward, a hard expression on his face.

"Yes sir?" He snarled, slowly reaching for a stick of dynamite from a red bag on his back. Penelope gulped as the troll started to light it.

"Blow her up," he pointed towards Penelope, who was starting to become afraid. Boomer noticed her fear, and with a look of defiance he roared out and answer that shocked out everyone including her.

"No," Boomer snarled as he threw the dynamite at the troll he had arrived with. The troll blew up instantly.

"You've made a grave mistake. You was going to be a general, but now you get to die with the dogs," the leader troll snapped walking towards him. Boomer smirked.

"I'd rather die honest to live like a villain."

"You want to die honest huh? Then die you shall."

Boomer smiled as he pulled out a grenade, launching it at the five nearby troll soldiers. Three of them were killed instantly; the other two knocked unconscious. The leader growled as he swung at Boomer, who dodged the blow with ease. Penelope watched the whole scene with a morbid fascination. She didn't believe in any sort of God, but if there was one in Skylands, she prayed to Boomer won. He was indeed winning until the leader struck his ear hard, nearly making it fall of. Penelope squealed, making the leader look back to her.

"You was willing to die to save her. I must admit, it is a heroic act. However Boomer, I despise heroes, and that's why I'm going to make sure your efforts where in vain," he smirked at the explosives expert, raising his mace over Penelope' s head. She shut her eyes waiting for the fatal blow, but it never came. The troll before screamed out suddenly, causing Penelope to open her eyes. Laying on the ground dead was the leader, a laser hole through his head. A cloaked stranger stood in his place, a small mechanical whir sounding. The cloaked figure continued to stare at her as the rain fell on them, their eyes masked by what seemed to be night vision giggled. That's what Penelope thought it was, anyways.

"Who are you?" The stranger asked quietly as he scooped her up, careful not to touch her broken and bleeding leg. Penelope opened her mouth the state her name, but she stopped. Her uncle was gone and her parents hated her. Did she really want to be tied to them? She shut her eyes and opened them. Penelope was determined to be a new person, and she would start by choosing a new name.

"I'm Sprocket," she said, choosing a tech name like her uncle's. The figure nodded and looked to Boomer, who was clutching his ringing ear.

"You're Private Boomer from Dynamite Gulch, correct?" The figure asked and Boomer nodded. Sprocket noticed that the stranger had a male voice, and it sounded mechanical. She concluded that he must be a robot of some sort.

"How did you know that?" Boomer asked suspicious of the stranger. Sprocket personally didn't blame him. He only chuckled however, his laugh vibrating against his frame. He handed Sprocket to Boomer, who raised his eyebrow, and he pulled out a rather large bag full of gold coins.

"I have my resources. Now listen very carefully. They'll be looking for you two now. You're enemies of the darkness. I have an ally here named Flynn who is a ballonist. Find him and tell him S sent you. He'll know what you're talking about. The money is for an emergency. You understand?" He asked Boomer, who nodded. The stranger started to walk away, but was stopped when Boomer cleared his throat.

"Who are you?"

"It's classified," was all the stranger said as he walked away, leaving the two alone. They heard search chompies howling, and in a dead sprint Boomer escaped from the alleyway, determined to find a new life not only for himself but for the mysterious girl in his arms.

**Author' s Note: After some serious mental debation over what to do with this story, I decided to rewrite and repost it. The original version was my first real attempt at a fanfiction, and the more I read over it the more i realized how much work it needed. I also had some technical problems with my computer with this story. I hope it comes out better this time, but it will have the same basic plot as the original version. The story really starts in the next chapter. Thank you for understanding. XOXO, JaneShenanigans.**


	2. Everyone Has A Secret

**Chapter 1: Everyone Has A Secret**

The air was crisp in the underground dungeon, but it didn't help Glumshanks' nerves. The tall troll sighed as he continued down the dark corridor. He knew what he was looking for, but it would be difficult to hide from his master, Kaos.

An old friend of his, Ulysses, stood guard next to an old oak door, a bored smirk on his face. "I thought you'd never come," the drow man smiled when he saw Glumshanks.

"I had to get away from Kaos. It's rather hard to do, you know," he sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. Ulysses hummed in response as he opened the large oak door into a small, dark room.

The room, in a word, was terrifying. It had blood red paint on the walls, ceiling, and floor, and the only thing decorating it was a large black machine. In the corner of the room was an old golding man whose once red hair was turning to a rusted grey. There was no light in the room, just the lanterns that Glumshanks and Ulysses had brought. The old golding glared at the light; he was unused to it after so many days in the dark.

Ulysses sneered at the man, "Not blind yet are you, Gizmo? Better not be; we need you."

"No, I'm not blind you ignorant fool. I'm not bloody blind yet," Gizmo snarled, his eyes shinning in hate. Glumshanks smiled kindly at the man, and with a swift jerk he pulled the key to Gizmo' s chains from around his neck.

"Here you go," he told the old man as he unlocked the shackles, making them fall to the floor with a thud. Gizmo smiled at the troll. Ulysses gagged.

Everyone turned to at the short drow man whose nose was wrinkled up with disgust. "What is that smell?"

"It's the blood Kaos used to paint the room with," Gizmo replied promptly, "you'll get used to it."

Glumshanks look appalled, "He actually painted this room in BLOOD?"

"Yes he did. Golding blood, to be exact. He murdeered most of my family and painted the room in it."

This time Ulysses looked appalled, "Why would he do that?"

"He's a bloodlusting fool and I refused to build a death Ray for him," Gizmo muttered darkly. Glumshanks blanched as he looked up at the ceiling, which was going dark with mold. He wondered what it would be like to be confined to a room that was painted in his family's blood.

After a long while, the tall troll looked at Gizmo. "Do you know how to work this darkness shooter?" He asked the golding, who scoffed.

"Why wouldn't I? I built the bloody thing and I've used it on you before."

Ulysses gave the man a sarcastic look, "Because you're probably crazy."

"I'm not mad yet, boys. Probably not long until I crack, but not yet. Even after I do crack though, I'll still be building my robots. Just building and building until I arrive at the gates of hell."

"Are you sure you're not crazy yet?" Ulysses asked raising an eyebrow. Gizmo grinned.

"Mostly."

With that he walked over the the machine and lifted the lever on the side, making the entire thing hum and glow with a purple light. Glumshanks and Ulysses both immediately felt drawn to the dark energy coming from the darkness shooter; they had become addicted to it after Kaos had first used the device on them.

The first time Glumshanks had been affected by the machine, he had felt his mind open up to lengths it never had before. He could hear the dull heartbeat of a dying vampire that had been locked up in the catacombs of Kaos' s mansion. He could hear the quiet quivering of the Wilikin who were passing by the sowing room. The machines all spoke to him and called him by name, begging him to save them from their mindless destruction. Yes, the effects of the machines were glorious, and in a sinister way, addicting.

Gizmo shut of the shooter with a grunt. "You've had your fill for today boys. Now, where is my reward?"

"Here you go you old geezer," Ulysses snarled as he handed the old golding mechanic a rather plump rat. Gizmo smiled as he bit into it, the blood from it dripping slightly as it let out one last squeal.

Glumshanks normally would have gagged at the scene, but the affects of the darkness shooter made him feel very apathetic. His normally green skin was now purple, and the tall troll butler was thriving off the euphoria that the darkness gave him. His pleasant feeling didn't last for long, however.

"Glumshanks, what are you doing?" Kaos asked, his eyes wide as he stared at the dark form of his butler. Glumshanks normally would have been afraid, but at the moment, he really didn't care anymore.

Glumshanks snickered, "I'm only having a little fun, 'master'."

"Why did that sound so sarcastic, you bumbling fool? Get to work at once!" Kaos shrieked, but the answer that followed shocked everyone in the room.

"No, I won't."

* * *

Grim Creeper stared at the misty sky, tears present in his large blue orbs. He could hear what the others behind him were saying, but he had no will to defend himself. All Grim wanted was for them to go away, but as he saw Rider swiftly approaching, he realized that wasn't going to happen.

"So, Grim, what's with the necklace?" the fellow undead elf sneered, pointing at the clear crystal that was hanging from around Grim' s neck.

The crystal, called a Poltergiest Quartz, had been a gift from the principal of Spirit Academy, the school Grim had saved from the hoard of ghosts. After his heroic act, the principal, a wise old reaper named Mr. Moon, called him into his small dark office, the crystal laying on his desk. He had explained to Grim how to use the Poltergiest Quartz, and Grim had worn the crystal on a small brown leather cord ever since.

Grim glared at Rider, "None of your bloody business."

"Oh, so now we're trying to act like we have a backbone now, huh? Like I'd believe it," Rider said as he reached out to touch the quartz. Grim slapped his hand away with a frown.

"Just go away," Grim groaned, his blue eyes trained on the cord around his neck. Rider rolled his eyes.

"Why should I?"

"Because if you don't we will hurt you," a female voice said from behind them, and the two undead Skylanders turned to see Roller Brawl, Sprocket, Boomer, and Spy Rise standing behind them. Rider backed away from the group, his eyebrow raised.

Grim waved at them, "Hello everyone!"

"Shut up you annoying little ghoul!" Rider snapped, whirling around. He started to shove his fist in Grim' s face but was stopped by a robotic hand.

Spy Rise snarled as he tightened his grip on Rider's hand. "I thought we said we was going to hurt you if you didn't leave him alone," he said, making Grim gasp silently. This was the first time he had heard Spy Rise actually talk, and his voice was deeper than Grim expected.

Rider glared at Spy. "How about you let go of me and mind your own business?"

"Not a chance, Rider. What you're doing is not right, and I'm not going to stand here while you pick on him for no reason," Spy said cooly, a small smirk planted onto his metal face. Rider smirked back.

"If you're not going to leave, then be a man and fight me."

Rider took his spear, which had been laying on the ground nearby, and with a laugh he swung it at Spy's face. The robotic agent only zoomed up into the sky, making everyone watching extremely confused.

"Where is he?" Rider asked as he stared up into the sky, finding no trace of Spy. The Skylander in question silently dropped down behind Rider, and with a goofy grin he stuck a small golden spider down the back of the Undead elf' s shirt.

"Right here," Spy snickered as Rider yelled, the small spider biting him. He continued to run around yelping while the others laughed. Grim looked away from the scene when it became too comical for him to handle, and he saw Spy and his friends walking away. Grim ran to them in a dead sprint, determined to thank Spy for taking up for him.

Grim finally caught up to the group, panting. "Hey, thanks for helping me, Spy," he said while trying to catch his breath. The robot nodded.

"You're welcome, Grim," Spy smiled, his deep laughter escaping. Grim blushed a little.

"If I may, why did you take up for me?" Grim asked, making Spy pause.

He answered after a few seconds. "I guess everybody has a secret, huh Grim?"

Spy then walked away, leaving Grim extremely confused. Spy's response hadn't really cleared anything up for him, but knowing the secretive nature of the agent, that was the best answer he was going to get.

**Author' s Note: The action is really going to be picking up in the next chapter. This one is kind of just another introduction. I needed some way to introduce Glumshanks and Grim in, and yeah, this is the result. Now that this chapter is finished, I can retype the Kaotic Hearts Christmas Chapter and I will be done. Until next time, XOXO JaneShenanigans.**


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